Lady of Los Angeles
by IAmStolt
Summary: What happens after the events in Heavenly Fire? The story takes place five years later in Los Angeles where Emma is fighting for vengeance and is being torn between rules and wantings. But after all, rules are made for breaking...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Emma knew what she'd see as soon as she entered the training room. She could feel it. She could even consider herself a psychic by now. Every day she'd see the same thing; Cristina and Jules holding hands and laughing, together.

Why couldn't he see that him and her, Jules and Emma, were meant to be together? Maybe because they already were, together. Together as parabatai. Closer than brother and sister, but that wasn't what she wanted to be. She wanted to hold his hand. She'd wanted it ever since they'd become parabatai four years ago.

Already outside the door she could hear the sound of Jules' deeper, although still boyish, voice along with Cristina's sweet and flirty.

She threw the door open. There they sat on a bench talking and flirting with each other. Cristina held one of Jules' hands in hers. Inspecting the fingers one by one. Emma knew what she'd find; layer after layer of paint. Because that's what Jules liked, painting. Emma knew every little thing about him.

They looked up then. Jules hair was dark and messy as always. Helen was no longer here to cut it or comb it. Emma had taken the duty to do it herself until Cristina had come along, a few months ago. If Cristina spent so much time with Jules she could do it herself. Apparently she didn't. Apparently she liked it messy. Although she doubted it. Cristina's own hair was gorgeous as always. Straight, black, controlled unlike Emma's own hair. She always got frustrated with her own long, blond, mockingly curly hair. It made her wear it in a braid.

"Emma!" Jules exclaimed. He looked truly happy to see her. She couldn't help but smile at him. She forgot her jealousy. He came running for her and embraced her. She resisted the urge to smell his hair.

"Why so surprised?" she asked him. They let go of each other.

"You've seemed so down this past week and after yesterday–"

Right, yesterday. She'd watched their flirting for hour, for days. Yesterday she hadn't been in the mood for another day and had rushed off. But she came back today, she always came back.

"I'll always train with you," she said and looked over his shoulder and at Cristina. She was checking her phone. Maybe that Facebook-thing she'd tried to teach Jules about. Emma had never been interested in the mundane networks. She found them rather boring. Too flat. She wanted to move.

"Well, I'm glad you came," he said and laid an arm around her shoulders.

"Me too."

They started where yesterday's training ended. They were sparring and she barely noticed Cristina in the corner of her eye.

Until it was her time to train. But today she didn't ask to train with Jules.

"I wanna train with Emma," she said to him. Emma stopped in her walk away from them and turned around.

"What?" she asked.

Cristina strode over to her. She smiled at her and laid an arm around her shoulders as Jules had done before. "I wanna train with you. Jules, you can leave."

He did as he was told. Nobody dared to argue with her.

Emma made herself ready to spar again.

"No sparring. Swords," Cristina said and took a sword hanging from the wall.

Emma took her Cortana. She never wanted to use another sword. It was a Cartairs sword and it was given to her by her deceased father.

They stood facing each other. Both in fighting position, eyeing their opponent.

Emma stroke out first. Cristina parried, but from then on they fought like they had no other choice.

Emma could feel sweat rolling down her forehead. She let down her guard for just a moment and Cristina cut her right arm. Over her old scar from when she'd hugged Cortana years ago.

They stood still. Emma could feel her anger well up inside of her.

"You cut me!" she shouted.

"You let down your guard," Cristina calmly explained.

"You cut me!"

"Actually, I did you a favor. Now you don't have to be so damn self-conscious about that scar of yours. Now you got it in a battle."

Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Battle? We are training."

Cristina shook her head disapprovingly. "This was a battle about Jules."

"What?"

"I know how you feel about him, Emma."

"He's my parabatai."

"Exactly." She took her phone and bag from the bench and left.

Emma was left alone, shocked. She bandaged her arm and walked out. Would Cristina tell anybody? How could she have been so stupid? She should have hidden her feelings better. Nothing good could come out of it anyways.

She ran to her room and locked the door. Didn't even stop to switch on the lights in the room. She plunged onto the bed, face down. Tears wet the sheets.

How could she have been so stupid? she thought over and over again.

She forced herself to sit up and stop crying after she didn't know how long. When she did so she felt a hard surface under the sheets. She reached for it and found a folder.

Cordelia & John Carstairs. It was the file she'd stolen so many years ago. Once again she opened it. The strange marks on her parents bodies covered her vision and mind. She'd looked at the photos at least once a month these last years. It'd been five years since they'd died now. Still she knew it was her responsibility to seek justice.

She set down at her desk and opened a notebook she'd filled with theories over the years. Now was the time for justice.

She was so caught up in her investigation she barely heard the knock on the door hours later.

"Em?" she heard Jules' voice say.

She got up and unlocked the door for him. He opened it and had to squint in the dark room to see anything. She sat down on the chair again.

"Why so dark?" He switched on the lights and now Emma had to squint at the light.

"What do you want?" she asked slightly annoyed somebody came to interrupt her work.

"And why so testy?"

She looked up at him. "I'm working."

He crouched beside the desk and looked at her papers. "With what?"

She tried to reason with herself whether she should tell him or not. He was after all her parabatai.

"With my parents death."

He got a pained expression. "Em. . ."

She wrinkled her nose. "Don't 'Em' me. There was something strange about their death and I know it."

She gave him the folder. He eyed through it and creased his eyebrows as he did so.

"Okay, so it's a bit strange–".

"A bit? There is something strange and I'm out for–".

"Vengeance?" he finished for her.

"Yes, vengeance. Don't give me that look. If they'd been your parents–". He flinched and she caught herself. He turned away his face. "Oh, Jules, I am so, so sorry." She stroked his cheek in a soothing motion.

"I know who killed my parents, Emma. My mother died in childbirth. My father." He stopped to look at her and now she prayed he'd looked away so she didn't need to see" " the guilt in his eyes. "I killed my father, Em."

"You had no other choice, Jules."

"That's not the point. The point is, it won't help you to know who killed your parents. It will only hurt you more."

"Please, Jules, let me do this," she pleaded, why she didn't know. She shouldn't need to ask him, but it'd be easier if her parabatai approved.

He stood up and opened the door to leave, but turned before he closed it and said, "I won't stop you from doing anything, as long as you don't stop me from going with you."

So this is my first fanfic I hope you'll like it and please leave reviews. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Later somebody knocked on the door again. She sighed and called out, "Come in!"

"Well, hello there, eremite", a sweet voice said.

She looked up and saw Cristina. Her hair tied up in a ponytail.

"Why are you here?" she muttered.

"Jules told me not to bother you."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "And you decided to ignore him?"

Cristina shrugged. "Pretty much. Yeah." She sat down on Emma's bed and she suddenly became very much aware of her heart-pattered beddings.

"Did you come for anything else, other than bothering me?"

"I came to say," she inhaled as if she was to tell her something that pained her, "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"For cutting you."

"A good thing you're a bad fencer", she muttered.

Cristina stuck out her tongue, but then put on a serious face. "When I came here, three months ago, I was kinda happy that there was another girl my age here. I thought we'd be friends."

Emma had thought so too. She had talked to her, but got jealous instantly when Cristina started talking with Jules. From then on she'd pushed her away.

"I thought so too."

"Then why aren't we?" Cristina asked and leaned back on her elbows.

"I don't know."

"You know that thing I said about Jules before, don't worry, I know you wouldn't break the rules that way." What was it she was saying? She didn't know how she felt about Jules. She could feel her heart jump of happiness. Still, she thought about what she'd said, "you wouldn't break the rules that way"? Wasn't she the one who always bended the roles or, rather, broke them entirely?

"Yeah, I know he's my _parabatai_. Don't worry."

"So you have no feelings for him?"

"As a _parabatai_, yes. Romantically, no." Lie.

"Good because we are getting kinda serious."

"Wouldn't bother me." Big lie.

"Great." Cristina got up from the bed and walked over to the desk. "What are these marks?" She picked up one of the photos.

"Put it down! Don't touch them", Emma said and waved away her hands.

"Okay, okay. Anyways, I also came to ask you if you wanted to go out with me and Jules for a cup of coffee."

For a chance to see them flirting and kissing from the other side of a table? "I think I'll pass. Maybe next time."

"Okay, bye then."

When she started to get more and more frustrated over the pictures on her desk she decided it was time to stop. She had to get out. Not to get coffee with Jules and Cristina, just out.

She put on her black leather jacket and took the shortest way out of the Institute.

It was sunny outside. Typical Los Angeles weather.

She stuck her hands in her pockets and walked out of the gates, without any glamour. She always got so self-conscious without it. People saw her and she was afraid she didn't act like them. After all, she wasn't from their world.

She passed a coffee shop with the green sign _Starbucks_ above the entrance. There were people drinking coffee inside so she assumed she could get some too.

The sound of a radio filled the room. It smelled of the bittersweet drink and the perfume from the girls, all covered with makeup. She was probably the only girl without any there.

She got in line and looked down on the floor while she waited.

When it was almost her turn she looked up again and squared her shoulders to look as confident as possible. That failed when she accidentally bumped into the person before her who'd got his coffee right then. The drink splashed over both him and her. He got a dark expression over his face.

"You blonde idiot! Watch it!" he screamed which caught the whole room's attention.

Now she felt her anger well up again. Nobody called her a blonde idiot.

"Sorry, for taking some of your coffee, but I couldn't imagine you wanted it all for yourself. Here you can take it back," she said and wiped off what had come on her sleeve and onto his shirt.

She passed him to come to the counter. "A cappuccino, please." The stunned cashier did as she said without commenting.

"That'd be 2.99 dollars", she mumbled as she came back with her order.

Emma handed her the mundane money she always kept in that jacket and took her coffee. She sat down at a table by the window.

She heard a chair scrape against the floor as it was pulled out at her table and turned her head at the sound.

A tall, dark haired guy sat down opposite to her. His arms were muscular as the shadowhunters'. She guessed he was about 18.

"Hi, I'm Dylan. Nice show over there", he said and nodded toward the counter.

"He called me a blonde idiot," she said and took a sip of her coffee. Who was this guy?

"Then it's his own fault. So, what's your name?"

She hesitated and bit her lip. Seriously, who was this guy? She rarely talked to mundanes and now one came to voluntary make conversation with her? "Emma."

"Nice to meet you, Emma," he said and grinned. "Are you going to high school here?"

"Kind of."

"So you're like 18?" he asked. She saw something in his eyes as if he hoped her answer would be yes.

"Something like that, yes." She was seventeen, but close enough. "Why?"

"Need to know if I can risk to ask you out without any angry parents." Problem solved, she had no parents. But she skipped that part.

She smiled at him. He was actually flirting with her. "No need to worry. So, same question back to you."

"I'm 20."

Okay, only like three years older than her and a mundane. Perfect, but there was something about him that charmed her. Was it the hair? The dark messy hair, so much like Jules'. Or the grin his lips seemed to be so comfortable to wear.

"Aren't you gonna ask me about my number?" she asked. Oh, she had read so many books and experienced so little. That was a typical teenage novel line.

"You read my mind."

She scribbled down her number on a napkin. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Dylan", she said and smiled at him, "but I gotta go now. Call me."

"I will."

She got back to the Institute with a smile on her lips. When she opened the door she was met up by the greeting of Octavian.

"Uncle Arthur wondered where you were", he said. "Jules said you weren't coming with him and Cristina."

He was the youngest in the Blackthorn family. Only nine years. He had the typical Blackthorn brown hair and blue-green eyes.

"I went out for a walk", Emma answered.

"Tavvy!" they could hear Drusilla, their older sister call out. She got to entrance hall. "Hey, Emma. Dinner's ready, we've been looking for you."

Drusilla was the curvier sibling and the shortest. She was the only one with freckles too.

"Are Jules and Cristina home?"

"Yeah, they're waiting too."

The whole family was waiting in the dining hall. Arthur Blackthorn, Ty, Livvy, Jules, Cristina and now the three of them.

Jules rose as they entered. "Emma, I thought you'd left." He came to hug her.

"I did leave. To get coffee", she said. But by the look from his eyes she knew what he meant. _To seek for her parents' killers._

_I told you to wait for me._

"Come, sit next to me", he said and dragged her along by the wrist.

The family sat down and started eating. Jules was still holding her wrist. He'd started drawing letters on it with his fingertips.

W-H-E-R-E W-E-R-E Y-O-U?

T-O-L-D Y-O-U. C-O-F-F-E-E.

Y-O-U W-O-N-'-T G-O W-I-T-H-O-U-T M-E?

N-O.

He held up his pinkie finger and raised an eyebrow.

"Pinkie swear", she whispered and hooked her finger around his.


	3. Chapter 3

She spent the next two nights at the Institute's library searching for any past records of marks like the ones on her parents. A lonely candle stood next to her at the desk lightning up her face.

The second night her _parabatai_ joined her.

"You look like an angel."

She looked up and saw him standing by the door.

"In that light you look", he hesitated, "like an angel."

She smiled at him. "Thanks."

"I don't mean you're not normally beautiful." He was rambling.

"Jules", she said and looked into his eyes, "thanks. Now are you gonna help me?"

She'd told him earlier she'd be there tonight. It was his choice whether he'd come or not. "Of course. Why else would I be here?" he asked and smirked.

Emma rolled her eyes. "To talk me out of it."

"I know you'd never listen to me. Now, what do you need me for?"

She stood up to get some books.

With a thump the books landed on the desk. "Look through these and try to find those marks or anything else you find interesting."

He sat down opposite from her. They were quiet and she only stopped her work to look up at her _parabatai_ once in awhile.

He'd told her she looked beautiful. Okay, he did tell people compliments a lot, but didn't hers mean more?

She startled when he started giggling.

"What?" she asked sleepily. It was well pass 1 am and the caffeine from earlier didn't stand a chance by now.

"I'm so very tired and this guy looks really funny", he mumbled and pointed at a man with a big mustache and small nose.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed." But his head had already fallen down on the desk. A light snoring came from his half-open mouth.

When they were younger she would have carried him to the library's sofa, but he'd gotten more muscles and the few inches that had separated them before seemed pointless in their length difference now.

Instead she brought him a blanket from the sofa to protect him from the library's nightly cold.

"Ems", she could hear him whisper. She crouched down next to him to be the same length.

"Yeah, Jules?"

His eyelids flickered, but he didn't open them. "I miss you."

"I'm here."

But he'd already fallen asleep again.

She'd fallen asleep on the floor next to where Jules had been snoring in his chair.

"Ems, have you been sleeping there all night?" he asked when she groggily rubbed her eyes.

He sat up in his chair and the blanket she'd given him now lied over her own shoulders.

"I must have fallen asleep."

"On the floor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You talked to me and I sat down here to hear what you said… and I must have fallen asleep."

"What did I say?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing." She ran her fingers through her hair in a weak attempt to tame her messy curls.

He sat down next to her and took one of her hands, fiddling with her fingers. "Tell me."

She sighed. "You told me you miss me."

He was quiet for a moment than his fingers moved over to her wrist.

I D-O.

I A-M H-E-R-E.

He looked up to her eyes. "But not with me. Not mentally. You've built a wall, Ems."

She knew he was right. She'd gotten so jealous. "Sorry."

"Don't say you're sorry. I only want you to break down that wall."

"I will."

In the next moment her phone beeped.

She picked it up and checked the screen.

Let's skip the coffee this time and go somewhere. Anywhere you'd like. – Dylan

She smiled to herself. It was nice having somebody on the outside even though they'd only met once.

Jules tried to read the message, but she covered the screen. "Who is it?"

"A friend", she answered.

"What's her name?"

"_His_ name is Dylan."

"It's a _guy_?" he practically shouted.

"You're meant to be quiet in libraries", she said and winked at him, but he ignored her.

"What institute is he from?"

"He's a mundane", she whispered, knowing what his reaction would be.

He jumped up and towered above her. "A mundane. You cannot date a mundane, Emma!"

She stood up and pushed him lightly. "You can't tell me what to do."

He swirled around frustratedly and burst out of the room.

She answered the text.

Got a car?

Yep.

Better pick me up in two hours then ;)

She texted him the street name of the Institute.

Next problem was what to wear. It had been a long time since she'd gone on a date. She'd been on a few and none had turned into something serious. In the end she'd simply given up and turned down those who'd asked her out.

The only difference between those guys and Dylan, Dylan was not a shadowhunter. Maybe she could give him a chance.

She stood outside Cristina's door and tried to encourage herself to knock. If there was somebody in the Institute who knew what to wear to date it was she.

When she'd stood there about five minutes she could hear Cristina's voice from inside her room. "Are you gonna come in or what?"

Emma opened the door slightly. "Hello."

Cristina sat in her bed texting on her phone. "Hey, what's up?"

She got into the room and closed the door carefully behind her. "I need your help."

Cristina looked up from her phone. A shocked expression played on her face. "What?"

"I'm kinda going out with someone and I need to know what to wear."

The girl smirked and jumped up from her bed. "Little Em's got a date!"

She pouted her lips and crossed her arms. "I'm not."

"Sure", Cristina said and winked at her. Emma rolled her eyes. "Okay, what do you wanna look like?"

"Like me, I guess", she said and shrugged.

"Hm, let's see about that. Wait here." She went to her closet and picked out a few clothes. She tossed them down on her bed.

"How much clothes do you have?"

"Mostly basic clothes. Now, try it on." Cristina handed her a red dress.

Emma went into the bathroom and changed. She came out with a short strapless dress that only reached her mid-thigh.

"No way", she simply said.

"It could work—"

"No way."

"Okay. Next!"

They did that for a while. She tried on a few similar dresses, short skirts and transparent shirts. After an hour Cristina finally gave up on the not-so-Emma clothes.

"Okay, try this on", she sighed and gave her a set of clothes.

She went into the bathroom once again and this time she came out with high-waisted shorts and a loose tank top with a band print on it. It wasn't showing too much and she could say that she liked it.

"I like this."

Cristina exhaled. "Finally! Now it's just shoes and makeup left."

Emma felt like she was gonna faint.

After another forty minutes she wore black high hells – she hadn't managed to talk her way out of them – and only a faint hint of lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara plus a few things on her cheeks Cristina had insisted on to be necessary.

"You're ready, Ems."

Cristina followed her out of the Institute. A car was already waiting by the sidewalk. It was silver colored and seemed relatively new.

"Maybe he's got money", Cristina whispered behind her. Emma had told her he was a mundane and Cristina had accepted it. She'd said she'd used to date one and they had pretty serious.

"Hush, I'm nervous as it is", Emma whispered back.

Cristina hugged her quickly and wished her good luck before she went inside again.

She knocked on the passenger window. Dylan startled, but smiled when he saw her. He reached over the passenger seat and opened the door for her.

"Hey, Emma!"

"Hello, Dylan", she said and smiled.

"Any special wishes for today?" he asked as he pulled out from the sidewalk.

"Not really."

"What about we go to a park and then we'll see where we go from there?"

She smiled again. As soon as she'd seen him she'd felt relaxed. "Sure."


	4. Chapter 4

He parked outside a small park in the outline of Los Angeles. He went to her side and opened the door for her.

"Thank you."

"Wanna go for a walk?" He grinned and held out a hand for her.

"Oh, I certainly do." She took his hand and before she knew it they were walking in the park, hand-in-hand.

She'd insisted that this was not a date, but she'd started doubting.

There was a café in the park where they ordered a cupcake each, but stayed away from the coffee and got sodas instead.

"So, where do you go to school?" Dylan asked.

"I'm homeschooled."

"Oh, kinda lonely isn't it?"

You have no idea. "Yeah, sometimes."

They finished their cupcakes and sodas and Dylan payed for both of them.

"You really don't need to pay", she said.

"You rarely go on dates , do you?"

She froze at the mention of a date. He'd actually confirmed it.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Um, we're on a date?"

His face turned stern. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean—", he rambled and ran a hand through his dark hair.

She interlaced her fingers in his other hand. "It's okay, Dylan. If you want this to be a date _I _am more than okay with it."

He went around the table and helped her up. They stood there opposite each other. Emma was tall, but he was taller. He had to lean down so they touched each other's foreheads.

"I want this to be a date", he said and kissed her. She locked her hands around his neck to get him closer. He held his own hands on her hips.

They pulled away to catch their breaths.

"Wow", was all she could say.

"Wow", he repeated.

They stood there until they started to get all these weird glances.

"We better move on", she mumbled. He leaned back and she regretted her words immediately. "Or not." She reached up to kiss him again. He gave her quick kiss and then pulled away again.

"What about going to my place?"

"What about yes?" she said and grinned.

He lived in an apartment close to the park. She was amazed by the mundane look. There was a living room with two guitars in one corner, one electric and one acoustic, and a bass in another corner.

She'd only seen them in stores and in music videos. After what happened to her parents she'd trained like crazy and barely went out.

"You're playing?" she asked and picked up the acoustic guitar. She sat down on the black couch and tried to play a melody. Her family had been so musical, but apparently that gene had forgotten about her.

"Yeah, from time to time." He reached for the guitar she was holding, almost pleading. She gave it to him and he started playing.

"_Hello stranger_

_I met you at the ending of a closing chapter_

_You told me the pages were meant to live_

_Living a real fake life_."

Well, clearly he could sing.

"Dylan! That was great", she exclaimed.

He blushed. "Thanks. I haven't finished writing it yet."

She shuffled closer to him and put an arm around his shoulders. "Tell me when you have."

They leaned closer to each other, but were interrupted by Emma's phone. She had a pretty good idea about who it was.

She looked at the screen and saw that she was right.

"Hello, _Julian_." She got up from the couch and went into the kitchen, making a sorry face to Dylan.

"Hey, Em! Busy?" He knew she was and she knew he knew.

"I'm with Dylan."

"Well, then I guess you aren't interested in your work any longer?"

She knew he meant her parents' case. Frustratedly she gritted her teeth.

"What do you've got?"

"Come home and see", he tantalized.

"It better be important", she hissed and hang up.

She turned around and saw Dylan in the doorframe. His loose shirt was formed after shapes of muscles. Maybe it was in the shadowhunter's nature to like those with muscles. Oh, if only not everything in her life was made out by those rules.

"Who was it?" he asked.

"A friend", she said and sighed. "I've gotta go."

He had a worried or maybe troubled, expression she couldn't make out.

"Okay, I'll drive you."

"You really don't ha—", but he was already halfway through the door.

He stopped outside the Institute, but neither of them got out.

"Thank you, Dylan, for taking me out. I've had a really fun time", Emma said and turned her head to him. She saw him staring straight ahead.

"I've had a fun time too." He still had that troubled expression.

She interlaced her fingers with his which lay between their seats.

"What's wrong?"

This time he turned his head too. "Who called you before?"

"I told you. A friend."

"Do you have a boyfriend."

"What?" She let go of his hand and sat up straight. "No! Than I wouldn't have _kissed_ you."

He smiled slightly. "Okay, good. I don't have a girlfriend, just so you know."

"Well, that _is_ good to know", she said and laughed. He seemed to relax at the sound of her laughter.

He leaned over and kissed her with a hand drawing her closer.

Suddenly, he broke off the kiss.

"Somebody's watching us", he whispered in her ear. She turned around and there he was. Dressed in black jeans and button-down shirt. He leaned against the brick wall of the Institute. His dark hair was messy as always. And she could feel that even though she'd spent this day with Dylan none of her feelings for _him_ had changed.

"Jules", she mumbled.

"You know him?"

"He's a friend."

"Well, he doesn't look that friendly."

He was right. She could practically feel him glaring at her.

"I've gotta go now, but once again thank you for today." She pecked him on the cheek and got out.

He drove off and she went over to Jules. He stood up straight, but didn't meet her halfway.

"Hello, Jules", she muttered.

"Had a fun time?" he asked, still glaring.

"Don't be so judging. I like Dylan."

He flinched at her words. "By the angel, Emma, he's a mundane!" he said and threw out a hand.

"Don't be jealous, Julian!"

He froze. "What?"

"Nothing, let's go inside", she said and started walking, but was stopped by him grabbing her wrist.

"Ouch, let me go!"

"What do you mean by jealous?" he pushes.

"Nothing, let's go."

"Yeah, okay", he said and followed her inside. "Because you know we're _parabatai_ and I kinda have something going on with Cristina…"

"Yeah, I know, Jules. Now, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"Oh, right", he said and got excited. "I really think I'm on to something."

**Okay, another chapter. Now I know this might not have been what you had expected. ****_Emma_**** liking ****_another_**** boy? I have my reasons so don****'****t get angry. ;)**

**Thank you for the nice comments! Please continue commenting and I promise I****'****ll update.**


	5. Chapter 5

They went to the library again and she could see he had been working hard. Books were spread out all over the desk and floor.

He picked up the book on top of the others on the desk. It was a small blue book with tiny letters on the front. He went through the pages until he found what he was looking for.

"Here, look at this."

He showed her a picture of marks similar to those which had been on her parents. She grabbed the book and read the text out loud.

"_Report about missing nephilim. Missing nephilim found with odd markings, similar to those we use. We can only hope the Clave will let us try to stop this._"

"They later write further investigation was dismissed", Jules said and crossed his arms. "The Clave clearly doesn't want nobody to know about this."

"When is this from?"

"1935, written by Harold Nightdale. _They _are Yosef Redtree and Buford Branwell. Apparently, this has happened before."

She was stunned. Never had she believed she would get anywhere with this. "Apparently it has. Can I have it?"

"Yeah, of course", he said.

She couldn't take her eyes off it as it lay in her hands. Maybe, finally, she'd get to know what happened to her parents.

"Emma", he mumbled. She nodded slightly. "Don't get too focused on this. I don't want you to live in the past."

She looked up at him. He wore a worried smile.

"I won't. I only want them to be proud of me."

He pulled her into a tight embrace. "They will always be proud of you. No matter what you do. And so will I."

At his warm touch she could feel how cold she'd been in the big library, with only shorts and a tank top, and shivered.

"You're cold?" he wondered and pulled back. She nodded. "Go back to your room and change and I will go get you some hot cocoa."

She grinned at that. "Just like when we were little?"

"Yeah, just like when we were little."

When she got to her room she put the book in a drawer in her nightstand and her phone on her desk then she went to her closet. She changed into her comfier jeans and a sweatshirt and sat down in bed after collecting a bunch of blankets.

Eventually Jules came with two mugs. He had changed into sweatpants and t-shirt.

He sat down carefully next her in bed watching the mugs. Steam rose from the hot cocoa.

"Here you go", he said and handed her one of them.

She warmed her hands on it. Although they lived in L.A. the Institute was made of stone and cooled down on the hottest days.

"Thank you."

He wrapped a blanket around them and pulled her closer. She was leaning her head against his shoulder.

"This", he said. "This is what I miss."

"Me too."

They sat there in silence.

That will say, until the door opened. Cristina stood in the doorway. She smirked at the sight of them.

"Cuddling without me? No way!" she said and dived into the bed. She laid on her belly looking at them.

"Hi, Cristina", Jules said and Emma could hear the smile in his voice.

"So, Em, how did it go?" She wiggled an eyebrow at her.

"Great!" Emma could feel her cheeks turn red, partly from awkwardness, partly from happiness.

"Did he kiss you?"

She could feel Jules' stare.

"Yes, and he's good at it."

Jules froze. "Emma, he's a mundane!"

Cristina snorted. "Please, Jules, who haven't dated a mundane?"

"_I_ haven't and don't plan to either. It's against the rules."

Cristina could see how Jules' words affected Emma. "Jules, I think you should leave. Girls always need a girl talk after a date. No boys allowed."

He sighed and got out of the room.

"Thanks", Emma mumbled gratefully.

Cristina took Jules' seat next to her.

"So, do you like him?"

"He's so nice and plays guitar and bass _and_ sings."

"I think you've got quite a catch there. But once again, do you _like_ him?"

She knew her feelings for Dylan weren't like the ones she had for Jules. No way near them actually, but this was only the beginning. Maybe something good could come out of it.

"Yeah, I like him."

"Then don't let him wait too long to meet you again. Although you shouldn't seem too interested. You can't be seen as needy."

Emma threw her head back and sighed. "These rules!"

"Oh, watch it", Cristina said and pointed at the mug in Emma's hands. She'd forgotten about the cocoa and slowly sipped at it now.

When she was done she put it down on the nightstand.

"So, what _can_ I do?" Emma asked.

"Wait maybe two days, then you can come back to me."

Cristina got up from bed and walked over to the door. "Now I have to make up with Jules, if you know what I mean", she said and winked at her before she turned around and opened the door only to find Drusilla and Octavian on the other side.

"Hello", Drusilla said.

"Hello, Dru and you too, Tavvy", she said and ruffled his hair. "See you later, Em!"

Cristina left and the other two got into the room instead.

"Hi, Ems", Octavian said.

"Hello. Sit here", she said and patted on the bed. The two of them sat down on the beddings.

"Were you on a date?" Drusilla blurted out.

Emma laughed at her curiosity. "Yeah, I was, Dru."

"And he was a mundane?" You could tell she was excited.

"He was."

"Oh", she sighed.

"I didn't know you were some lovesick teenager, Dru."

Drusilla's face grew serious. "I'm not. It's just that our uncle barely lets anybody go outside except for you, Jules and Cristina. We are too _young_."

"You _know_ why he worries", Emma said. Their uncle was still grieving from the loss of his brother and Blackthorn children's father. "I'd probably be worried sick if I was him."

"I'm 13! Please, Ems, can't you talk to him?" she pleaded. Octavian listened carefully now. They really wanted to get out.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't see why you're coming to me."

"Cristina doesn't really care and Jules would only agree with our uncle."

She was right. Cristina didn't know their history firsthand and barely talked to the younger siblings and Jules was happy as long as he could think of his siblings as safe.

"You're probably right. Okay, I'll go talk to him."

She got up and Drusilla and Octavian were right behind her as she walked out of the room.

They found their uncle, Arthur, in his "private attic". He was reading books, in Latin, as always.

He looked up as they entered.

"You didn't knock."

Emma forgot what to say. She so rarely talked to him and had barely been in the attic at all.

"Sorry, uncle, but Emma really needed to talk to you", Octavian said and shoved her forward.

She glared back at him.

Arthur waited for her to talk.

"Well, I wondered if I could take Dru and Tavvy out some time."

He got a dark shadow in his eyes. "No."

"But, uncle, we never get out of here", Drusilla groaned.

"It's dangerous."

"I'm 13 and Tavvy is six. We should be out with friends!"

Their uncle rose from his chair and dropped his book on the floor.

"You stay inside of these walls and that'll be it." He sighed and sat down again. "Now, leave."

"But-", Drusilla began.

"Leave."

They closed the door behind them.

"I'm really sorry", Emma said.

"It's okay", Drusilla grumbled.

"I'll try again, I promise."

Without saying anything else the two siblings left and Emma was left alone.

**Oh, sooooo long since I updated. I have this old excuse that school takes a lot of time. Yeah, you don****'****t wanna hear it so I****'****ll come with another excuse instead. **

**My dog ate my fanfic? **

**Good one?**

**Maybe not****…**


	6. Chapter 6

She went back to her room and threw herself on the bed and groaned.

A loud beep interrupted her self-pity.

She sat up and saw her phone on the desk. It beeped again and the screen lit up.

She got up to get it and went back to her bed again. Her first thought was that it was Dylan. There were only a few people who had her number and even less who actually contacted her.

Instead she saw Jules' name on the screen.

Why are you upset?

She furrowed her eyebrows.

_What?_ she thought.

Okay, I admit that could've been seen as creepy that I know that you're upset. But it's not. I'm not a warlock or anything. I'm in your room.

She looked around in her room, but couldn't see him.

"That did _not_ make it any less creepy, Jules. Where are you?" she demanded to know.

"Oh, sorry", she could hear him say from behind her curtain. He stepped out from there with his phone in his hands.

"_Why_ were you behind my curtains?" She glared at him.

"It was meant as a surprise, but then it got kind of creepy", he mumbled. His dark hair danced in front of her eyes. _If Helen was home she would have cut it already, _she thought.

"But why are you _here_, in my room. I thought you were with Cristina." She hoped he couldn't hear the jealousy in her voice.

"You're my _parabatai_, Ems."

"That doesn't really explain it."

He sat down next to her in her bed. He leaned back against the wall and turned his face to her.

"If you want a girl talk then talk to me. You can pretend I'm a girl." He sat up on his knees and pretended to throw his hair behind his shoulder. "Hello, I'm Emma. I love boys and long walks on the beach."

She laughed and threw a pillow at him.

"I'm not like that!"

He laughed and leaned back against the wall again.

"But really, Emma, I wanna talk to you even if I'm not a girl."

She leaned against his shoulder.

"I wanna talk to you too, Jules. Don't worry, I won't trade you for a girl."

They were silent for a moment until Jules spoke up again.

"So…was he a good kisser?"

"Jules!"

She shoved him so he almost fell off the bed. He had to grab her shoulders to not fall.

"Sorry, sorry."

He sat down next to her again.

"So, have you read anything in the book I gave you?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "You gave it to me like an _hour_ ago. No, I haven't read it."

"I really want you to think this through, Ems. Perhaps all this will do is cutting open old scars."

"I need to do this, Jules. I've known for five years that my parents' death wasn't a normal attack and I can't let their murderer walk free."

He leaned against her shoulder and took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I'm just worried about you, that's all."

She leaned her head against the top of his head.

"And I'm happy that I have somebody who worries about me, but it can't change my choices."

"As long as you're happy…"

**Short chapter, I know. I also know that this fanfic has few readers but to those who reads it: Thank you! ****J****And I hope you like it too ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

"Have you seen Dru?" Octavian asked when he stormed in. Emma and Jules had both dozed off and were startled when he came.

"No, she was with you last time I saw her", Jules answered.

"Well, I'm not with her now, am I?" He closed the door after him.

Jules stared after him. "Such attitude!"

Emma laughed and patted his cheek. "Don't worry, it'll stop in about ten years."

He snorted. "Thanks for the encouragement."

Her phone beeped from a text and they were startled once again.

"Who is it?" Jules asked, but she suspected he already knew.

"Dylan."

Hey, wanna hang out some time?

"You saw each other like three hours ago", Jules said. He peeked over her shoulder to see the screen.

"Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"Some overprotective brother", she mumbled as she typed.

Already? Well, I suppose I can find the time ;)

"I'm not overprotective. And since when do you use smiley faces?"

"Since it turned to 21st century."

"Well, it looks silly."

"You look silly."

"He sighed. "Now you're like Tavvy."

"You-"

He put a hand over her mouth before she could finish the sentence.

"Don't you dare."

"-Aje lae Tavvy."

He stuck out his tongue and removed his hand.

The phone beeped again.

What about Monday afternoon?

She couldn't help but smile. In the corner of her eye she could see Jules' judging eyes.

See you then ;)

"C'mon, at least take away the wink."

She hit send. "Oops, too late", she said and grinned.

"Youths", he sighed.

"We're both 17!"

"And still I'm both wiser and…"

"Can't come up with anything else, uh? Me either."

"You- You girl!"

"Wiser?" She rolled her eyes. "Okay, old man, wanna go to the training room?"

"Sure!"

When they came there Olivia and Tiberius were already there. Olivia throwing knives and Tiberius reading a book.

"Hey, Ty! Haven't seen you for a while", Jules said.

"Yeah, not since yesterday", Olivia answered for him.

"What is it with you people? Can't you put away that sarcasm for _one minute_?"

"She's right, you know", Tiberius mumbled.

"I know, it's good to see you though." He looked to Emma. "So, wanna train? Or are you just gonna stand there laughing at me?"

She grinned and walked over to the crossbows, getting the feeling of one of her favorites. "I wasn't laughing, just smiling. And if I know you right you're gonna give up on training within an hour and go somewhere to paint."

"You do know me right, and if I know you right you will spend the day here", he said and hugged her.

She shrugged him off and laughed. "What are you doing? Go find some knives or something."

He snorted and went to the knives next to Olivia.

Emma shot some arrows at a dummy leaning against a wall. Every one of them hitting its target.

"You're such a show off", Jules said behind her. She turned around and glared at him.

"Maybe you should train more", she answered.

"Don't need to. My one true love and _parabatai_ trains enough for both of us."

Her heart skipped a beat, but she kept a blank face. "You can't love a _parabatai_."

"Oh, c'mon. You know I'm only kidding."

"You better", she said and shot the dummy in the heart.

**Hello! Guess what I did last weekend…**

**Ever heard of the book ****_The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer_****? It's a really good book and a reeeeaaaally good trilogy (****_The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, The Retribution of Mara Dyer_****).**

**Anyway, the last book was released last Tuesday and I couldn't put it away so on Saturday I was done. It was so good. If you want to read a really weird, twisted fantasy/sci-fi that's the one.**

**Bye bye**


	8. Chapter 8

When she felt like her limbs were collapsing after hours of training she decided to stop. She looked around to tell Jules that, but he wasn't there and neither were the twins. She looked at the clock on the wall and saw they'd probably eaten dinner already. Her stomach rumbled as on cue.

She found Jules on the roof, painting as usual. For a moment she stood there watching him. The watercolors he often used transformed into a beautiful picture of the ocean. The waves were only a hundred yards away from the Institute and you could see them from where they stood. The sun was only a streak of light at the horizon. A few minutes later the stars had come clear.

"Gonna stand there the rest of the night?"

He turned around.

"You heard me?" she asked.

"No, you've trained to be quiet, but you're my parabatai. We know where the other is."

"I don't always know where you are."

"You found me now."

She sighed and let out a short laugh. "That's because I know you."

He shrugged and started to pack the colors in a bag "But still."

"Have you eaten?" Emma asked.

"No, why?" he asked and furrowed his eyebrows.

"It's well past ten."

"That explains the darkness."

"It does. Wanna go get something from the kitchen?"

"Yeah, just gonna go check that the others have got something too."

She was just finished with sandwiches and tea when Jules came to the kitchen.

"Want some help with that?" He took the tea cups and headed to the stairs.

Emma followed him up.

"Where were the others?"

"Tavvy and Dru were sleeping and the twins are playing cards in their room. Cristina is doing… something", he said and shrugged.

"Where are we going?"

"To my room. We've been in yours the last few times."

"That's because mine is the best."

"It's impersonal."

"Having a messy room is not to have a 'personal touch'", she said and rolled her eyes.

"You need to have an open mind."

They got to his room and he opened the door with his elbow.

Something brushed against her leg as she entered and she looked down on a cat. A blue cat.

"Hey, Oscar. Haven't seen you for a while", she said.

"And that's because we've hung out at your place. He prefers mine."

"I won't destroy my room only to make him come to my room. Then he can stay here." The cat gave her a hurt look. "No offense." He practically snorted and went to sleep under an armchair full of clothes.

"It's so messy", she said and wrinkled her nose.

Sketches and drawings were spread out around the floor and attached to the walls. Pens and brushes covered his desk.

"Personal touch", he countered.

She sighed and sat down on his bed. "I guess there are enough crumbles in the bed for you not to be mad if I eat here?"

"You're probably right", he said and sat down next to her. She gave him a sandwich.

They snuggled like when they were kids, like they'd always done.

"Cozy", Emma said and wrinkled her nose.

"You're so cute when you do that." He mimicked the grimace.

"At least one of us is then."

He grinned and lay down. "Your humor is so mean."

"And that's why you wanted me as a parabatai. So that you'd learn what world had to come for you."

"Exactly, since the fighting part was just a plus." He raised an eyebrow.

"A big plus", she corrected.

"And why did you want me?"

He seemed serious about this question. Lower voice and avoiding eye contact.

She looked down at him where he lied beside her. "Because you're handsome and you had those puppy eyes…"

He turned around onto his belly. "You think I'm handsome?"

"You're a Blackthorn", she tried to explain herself, "you're all handsome." She took a deep breath to clear her mind. "Anyway, I also choose you because you keep your faith in me even when everybody else thinks I'm hopeless."

He shook his head so the dark strands of hair fell over his eyes. "No, that's why I chose you. I'm the hopeless cause while you're fighting for me so that the others won't see it."

She patted his cheek. "And yet, that's why I chose you."

They woke up next to each other, Jules with his sandwich lying on his cheek. It fell off as he rolled over onto his back.

"What time is it?" he asked as he stretched his arms.

She yawned and looked at the clock on his nightstand table.

"9 am."

He jumped up from bed with a smile on his lips. "Good, then we can go at once."

"What?" Emma sat up and gave him a surprised look. "Go where?"

His fingers worked with the buttons of his shirt. "We're going for a research."

She sighed and got up. "Please, give me an explanation."

"We're going to work with the odd markings today."

"Oh!" She actually got excited. He helped her with something she for so long had thought was something she'd have to deal with herself. "Where do we start?"

"At the magician's residence", he said dramatically and made a bow.

"You mean we're going to a warlock. Aren't I typically the one going out for adventures?" she asked and wiggled an eyebrow at him.

"Going to a warlock isn't the same as going on an adventure."

"So, which one?"

"Malcolm Fade, who else?"

Hello!

I know I'm not really good at this updating thing, but I do have my reasons. First, I do have homework and I've changed courses at school which means I have even more than before. Second, I've had a total writer's block.

I'm gonna try to become better.

I really like writing this story and I hope you like it too. For those of you who are writing nice comments thank you. It always makes me more inspired.


	9. Chapter 9

When Jules headed for a bus that pulled over next to them Emma gave him a questioning look.

"What?" he asked and grinned.

"The bus? Really?" She followed him onto the bus while murmuring to herself. "Fine with me, but you'll be the one explaining this for Arthur."

The Blackthorns' uncle wasn't exactly tempted of being a part of his brother's family, his books were everything to him, but when it came to rules he was one of a kind. One, never interfere with mundane culture, two, _keep to rule one_. Jules was old enough to get away with going out for a cup of coffee, but going on a bus…?

If Starbucks had smelt like a perfume shop with sweet products mixed coffee this was the opposite. The air was shared with 50 others in a small space smelling of cheap after shave, sweat and she was sure that a baby sitting in its mother's lap was gonna throw up any minute.

She told Jules all this.

"Calm down, Ems." He was practically laughing. "You're overreacting."

"Well, tell me that again when you've been murdered by some Downworlder with a bus fetish."

"_What?_"

"Just wait and see."

There were no seats where they could sit so they had to stand next to an old lady with oranges in a plastic bag and another mother with a child. Two guys were standing a few seats away and kept eyeing Emma.

She leaned over to whisper in Jules' ear. "What are those guys doing?"

They had started nodding at her direction. Jules looked over at them and grinned when he saw them. "They're flirting with you. It's not really something you haven't experienced before."

She rolled her eyes. "No, but why don't they get over here and ask me out or something then?"

He grinned even wider. "They think I'm your boyfriend."

"My boyfriend?"

After another few nods the guys went over to them. One of them had dark hair in the form of a quaff and tattoos all over his arm. The other one was short and had a shape of eyebrows that made him look chronically angry.

The one with the quaff started talking. "Hey, I'm Adam, and this is Sean." Pointing at the angry one. "Going to the city?"

"Yeah, why?" Emma asked.

"Wanna hang out or something?"

"Actually", she began and stood up straighter, "Jules, here, and I going out to buy a couch. For the apartment we'll move into, after the wedding." She took Jules' hand and felt him tense beside her. "Right, honey?" Just to make it trustworthy she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Right."

The quaff guy blushed and murmured something and they went over to their original place again.

Emma was gonna let go of Jules' hand, but he held on.

"Have to make them believe it", he explained and shrugged.

They got off the bus at the next stop.

"So, where to?" she asked.

"This way."

They were no longer holding hands and Emma had to walk fast to keep up with his fast pace. His legs were longer than hers. Too much longer according to her.

Turned out that Malcolm Fade lived in a penthouse close to the sea. Jules knocked on the door and right before the second knock the door sprang open. There in the doorway with a bright smile on his face stood the High Warlock of Los Angeles. He was dressed in a purple button-down shirt which was in the same color as his eyes. Emma couldn't break free from his stare until he looked away.

"Hello!" Malcolm greeted. "Welcome."

They followed him inside. The furnishing was light and comfy. When they got to the parlor – yes, parlor – the tea was already served.

"Did you know we were coming?" Emma asked suspiciously. She couldn't really trust warlocks. Magnus Bane she could trust, but he was an exception.

"Yes."

"Is it because you're a warlock?"

He gave her a smug smile. "Could be, or it could also be because I saw you from the window, and who would you visit but me!"

They sat down on the white couch in the middle of the living room. Jules took a sip of the tea. Emma passed as she still wasn't so sure about Malcolm, based on the fact that he _was_ a warlock.

"We came to ask you something", Jules started.

"That's mostly the only reason why shadowhunters come to visit", Malcolm said and sat down in a comfy armchair.

Jules put a photo of the marks on the table. "Have you seen this before?"

His eyes widened. "The Seelie Queen has visited you already?"

Emma leaned forward. "You've talked to the Seelie Queen?"

Malcolm shrugged and took a sip of the tea. He wrinkled his nose. "I don't really like tea."

In the corner of her eye she could see Jules roll his eyes. She ignored his comment. "What did she say to you?"

The warlock moved anxiously in his seat. "I know you shadowhunters don't like the Fae, neither do I actually, but my door is open for those who need my help."

She glared at him. He started getting annoying. "_What_ did she _say_?"

He sighed and stopped moving. "The Fae have been the target of whoever is doing those killings and markings for some time now. This morning one of the Fae came, on the behalf of the Seelie Queen, for my advice. I told her this was something the shadowhunters should look into." He chuckled at the memory. "She wasn't very pleased."

"Well, the Fae and the shadowhunters aren't on the best of terms", Jules mumbled.

"I know what happened in the war, but they can be rather amusing."

Emma snorted. "Then you're alone with thinking so."

"Anyway, if you want to investigate more, or whatever you usually do, you should go to the Fae."

Emma rose to her feet. "Then we'll go ask somebody else. We won't work for or with the Fae. They are liars!"

The warlock was about to object, but Jules gave him a warning look that made him sink back in the armchair.

Jules then looked at her and put a calming hand on her arm. "Please, sit down, Ems. I'm sure Mr. Fade must have something of value to say." He rose a questioning eyebrow at him.

Once again Malcolm started moving around in his seat. "Perhaps…"

"Oh, no!" Emma pointed a warning finger at him. "Don't you dare use the Fae's expressions."

"Okay, I'll tell you what I know. Please, sit down, you make me nervous."

Reluctantly she sat back down. "Tell us."

"I said I would. Okay, so those marks…"

Emma started getting irritated and her _parabatai_ could feel it. "Please, just say it."

"Those marks have been seen before."

"Oh, really?" Emma asked sarcastically. "It's not like these pictures _are_ five years old."

Malcolm rolled his eyes at her. "That's not old. I mean like really much before."

Jules frowned at his unusual way of expressing himself. Emma spoke instead. "When?"

"In the 20th century." His expression had turned darker during the conversation. "That's all I have to say. Now, you may leave." He got up and showed the confused shadowhunters to the door.

"What happened then?" Jules asked.

"Nothing that I'm alone to know about", the warlock said and closed the door.

**Okay, I have no idea what I'm gonna write here except that I hope that those of you who are reading this fanfic won't give up on me even if I'm really slow. ****L**


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